DisadvantagesMat: less than perfect eyesightLan: takes too many chances, not the luckiest man alive

How we think the fight will go:

“Blood and ashes! I go from one extreme to the other? I fight not one, but TWO women, and now I am forced to fight Lan? Obviously, the Creator hates me.”

“No, Mat. You are ta’veren. The Creator does not hate you. In fact, it is I the Creator hates, for I must fight you – a young man I respect. This is unfortunate.”

“Thanks, Lan. I feel a lot better now. That’s sarcasm, by the way.” Mat tried to think. This was Lan! He was a blademaster, a Warder, and a general nuisance to anything on the working end of his blade. There was no hope.

“I mean no disrespect, Mat,” Lan replied. “You’ve shown yourself an able fighter. In fact, I’ve had my eye on you for some time.” Lan paused, and looked at Mat with a wry grin.

“Oh, an eye joke! From you, Lan? Wow, the world is changing, isn’t it? The stony Warder with no personality is now cracking jokes at my expense? Are you going to make me laugh to death?” At that, Lan simply grew quiet and went back to his stone-faced demeanor. So much for the jokes, Mat thought. He glanced at his ashendarei leaning against a nearby tree. He slowly shuffled towards it.

“Take your weapon, Mat. I would never strike you unarmed.” Lan already had his sword drawn.

When had that happened? Mat thought to himself. He never saw Lan draw. He’s fast for an old man. No, he’s not old. He’s a Warder, and I’d be smart to remember that – else he’ll take my head from my shoulders. Mat grasped his weapon and squared himself to Lan.

“So it ends here, I guess? Too bad, I think we could have had some ale and told some great war stories.” Mat had already decided how to fight Lan. Be unexpected.

So he charged the Warder with his ashendarei spinning in his hands.

Al’Lan Mandragoran, king of the fallen Malkier, was surprised. He didn’t show it – Lan Mandragoran never showed his unease, but now he knew what Thom meant when he had lauded the young man’s abilities. Mat was fast. The distance was closed before he had time to reflect further, and the Warder sprung into action.

He began defensively, meeting the slash from Mat’s unique weapon with Folding the Air. Lan immediately turned that into Black Pebbles on Snow, moving effortlessly from form to form, like water flowing down a brook. Mat had to dance back to avoid the counterattack, and Lan was surprised again. Was that Cat Dances on the Wall from young Mat? Had he learned the forms? Lan wondered if Rand had had time to instruct Mat on technique, and quickly dismissed the thought as Mat’s heels tangled with each other and he tumbled to the ground in a pile of flailing limbs.

Mat tried his hardest to pretend he didn’t just trip over his own feet. His face turning scarlet, he spun back to face Lan. It felt weird being grateful to a man who was trying to kill him, and in turn who he was trying to kill, for not laughing at his clumsiness. Another notch in the ‘why Lan is awesome’ category, Mat thought to himself. He noted people watching the fight, and wondered if they all thought he was easy meat.

“I’m no easy meat!” Mat screamed his challenge and attacked again. He tried to keep his hands moving, as he knew that to hesitate meant to die. Lan was probably waiting for an opening, and Mat had no desire to give him one. With his Warder endurance, Mat knew this fight couldn’t last long, or else he’d tire and Lan could end it easily. Mat intended on putting up the fight of a lifetime for the veteran Warder. He tried a complex pattern of slashing and stabbing, but was unable to get anywhere close to Lan. He danced about and tried to be as unpredictable as he could, but nothing seemed to work.

Lan felt one with his sword. He flowed from form to form, defending against the increasingly wild moves from Mat. It was evident he intended this fight to end quickly. The Falling Leaf became The Courtier Taps His Fan, which then became The Boar Rushed Downhill in a defensive posture as Mat blocked and countered with blazing speed. Lan reverted to defensive forms until an opening came from Mat over-extending, and Lan scored a slash on Mat’s ribs with the Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose.

Mat lurched back in pain with a snarl. “Mother’s milk in a cup!” His skills with the ashendarei did not seem to be enough. His memories weren’t much of a help, either. Every memory he searched that contained a fight with a blademaster seemed to end abruptly, and not in his favor.

In the moment Mat appeared to look inwards, Lan attacked. The Kingfisher Takes a Silverback turned into Leopard’s Caress, which produced a slash on Mat’s thigh. Lan’s follow up slash turned poorly, as Mat stumbled right as his sword would have struck Mat, and the young man’s counterattack scored a gaping wound across Lan’s back. His sharp intake of breath was the only audible sign of the pain the wound caused. Mat seemed unaware of the wound he had inflicted and regained his balance.

Mat was worried. Well, he’d been worried since the fight began, but now he was tired and even more worried. Hitting the Warder was like chasing the wind – nearly impossible. His memories were of no help, and even his luck had done nothing but make him look a fool. He gathered his courage and prepared himself for a final flurry.

“Carai an Caldazar! Carai an Ellisande! Al Ellisande!”

Mat felt a reservoir of energy in him as he charged the stone-faced Warder for the last time.

Tai’shar Manetheren, Lan thought to himself as Mat charged him, ashendarei spinning over his head like a blur. Then Mat stumbled again, and his slash turned into a last second thrust, which took Lan in the left side of his ribs. Pain flared as Lan drew back to remove the blade of the spear from his body. He decided to perform a maneuver he’d cautioned Rand against, but was his last resort in this instance. Lan positioned his sword and prepared for Heron Wading in the Rushes, which would leave him open, but be sure to score a hit. With his sword held reversed in both hands over his head, Lan struck at Mat.

His luck had helped him again, as his latest stumble wounded the Warder. Maybe his luck could keep him alive a little longer. As that thought went through his head, Lan moved much quicker than a wounded man ought to, and stabbed down at Mat……right into the foxhead medallion hanging from Mat’s neck. Mat didn’t waste any time being surprised, and quickly slashed Lan in the neck with the ashendarei.

As the Warder bled out on the ground, Mat straightened up and looked solemnly down at the fallen king.

“Tai’shar Malkier."

Predicted Winner: Mat

You have until Saturday, February 11th at 9:00 p.m. PST to vote.

White Ajah Aes Sedai...Bonded to BenT-Gaidin...Sis of Nia, MJF, and Mighte...Mentor of Many

sorry lan... with mats skills with the staff, compounded with the last few thousand years of memories, with power wrought spear in hand, lans chances are slim to none... with mats luck, lans chances are non-existant...

This is exactly what I asked for and it came true!!!All hail the greatest warrior in Randland!! Sir Matrim Cauthon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mat's anything but a Sir. However, I can't see any non-channeller defeat him.

Edited by Master Ablar, 06 February 2012 - 03:20 AM.

I think one of the reasons the Black Tower has become so popular in fandom isn't just that you get to dress in black and set fires with your mind, it's the sense of struggle the Asha'man have. To save the world, they have to embrace the part of themselves that's terrible and destructive. They risk madness to learn how to channel. It's a tremendous sacrifice they make.

“Those bloody flaming women,” Mat muttered.“I hope you don’t include my wife,” Lan said coldly, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword, and Mat quickly raised his own hands.“Of course not. Just Elayne and . . . and the Kin.”After a moment, Lan nodded, and Mat breathed a small sigh of relief. It would be just like Nynaeve to get him killed by her husband—her husband!—when sure as bread was brown, she would have hidden the fact that one of the Forsaken might be in the city.

“Those bloody flaming women,” Mat muttered.“I hope you don’t include my wife,” Lan said coldly, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword, and Mat quickly raised his own hands.“Of course not. Just Elayne and . . . and the Kin.”After a moment, Lan nodded, and Mat breathed a small sigh of relief. It would be just like Nynaeve to get him killed by her husband—her husband!—when sure as bread was brown, she would have hidden the fact that one of the Forsaken might be in the city.

Mat constantly underestimates himself though.

Mat is the best fighter in the series. He fought Galad and Gawyn at the same time. He fought against Couladin and won. He defended himself against a surprise attack by six shaido aiel. According to Thom he has the fastest hands he has ever seen. He is faster then lan and has longer reach. Not to mention the luck.

Mat is the best fighter in the series. He fought Galad and Gawyn at the same time. He fought against Couladin and won. He defended himself against a surprise attack by six shaido aiel. According to Thom he has the fastest hands he has ever seen. He is faster then lan and has longer reach. Not to mention the luck.

Mat beat Galad and Gawyn when they were still learning the sword. He wouldn't be able to do that now. And where does it say that he is faster than Lan?

Mat is the best fighter in the series. He fought Galad and Gawyn at the same time. He fought against Couladin and won. He defended himself against a surprise attack by six shaido aiel. According to Thom he has the fastest hands he has ever seen. He is faster then lan and has longer reach. Not to mention the luck.

Mat beat Galad and Gawyn when they were still learning the sword. He wouldn't be able to do that now. And where does it say that he is faster than Lan?

They might have been still learning the sword, but they were already capable of winning against Hammar. And Mat wasn't in very good shape when he fought them.

I think one of the reasons the Black Tower has become so popular in fandom isn't just that you get to dress in black and set fires with your mind, it's the sense of struggle the Asha'man have. To save the world, they have to embrace the part of themselves that's terrible and destructive. They risk madness to learn how to channel. It's a tremendous sacrifice they make.

Mat is the best fighter in the series. He fought Galad and Gawyn at the same time. He fought against Couladin and won. He defended himself against a surprise attack by six shaido aiel. According to Thom he has the fastest hands he has ever seen. He is faster then lan and has longer reach. Not to mention the luck.

Mat beat Galad and Gawyn when they were still learning the sword. He wouldn't be able to do that now. And where does it say that he is faster than Lan?

Well it doesnt say that anywhere exactly, but Mat was fast enough to keep up with the Gholam, which was said to make a Fade look slow, which are in turn described as being quite swift. To me Lan is stronger, but Mat is faster and with longer reach. Mat is also extremely good defensively; in the chapter where the six aiel fought him he knew he couldnt defeat them, so he just blocked their attacks and knocked their hands and defended himself. How many other people could survive against six aiel at once? Essentially, Lan could not get close enough in a one on one to be able to deal any major damage.

Gotta give it to mat here. Staff(ish) weapon, quick hands, battle experience of the ages, and raw luck. No disputing Lan's skill, and against any other non channeler I might give it to him..except maybe 2 handed rand going sword.

Well it doesnt say that anywhere exactly, but Mat was fast enough to keep up with the Gholam, which was said to make a Fade look slow, which are in turn described as being quite swift. To me Lan is stronger, but Mat is faster and with longer reach. Mat is also extremely good defensively; in the chapter where the six aiel fought him he knew he couldnt defeat them, so he just blocked their attacks and knocked their hands and defended himself. How many other people could survive against six aiel at once? Essentially, Lan could not get close enough in a one on one to be able to deal any major damage.

When did Mat fight six Aiel? You might be thinking of the men who attacked him in KoD, but a) those weren't Aiel, and b) Thom, Tuon, and Selucia helped. Lan also took out six men on his own in NS where he wasn't nearly as good as he is now.

Mat is the best fighter in the series. He fought Galad and Gawyn at the same time. He fought against Couladin and won. He defended himself against a surprise attack by six shaido aiel. According to Thom he has the fastest hands he has ever seen. He is faster then lan and has longer reach. Not to mention the luck.

Mat beat Galad and Gawyn when they were still learning the sword. He wouldn't be able to do that now. And where does it say that he is faster than Lan?

They might have been still learning the sword, but they were already capable of winning against Hammar. And Mat wasn't in very good shape when he fought them.

They both, Galad and Gawyn, could beat Hammar at the time Mat fought them,who was regarded the best warder in the Tower,Mat was just 1 or 2 days from being heald and very week.He did'nt attack to kill them,he attacked/defended to keep from getting killed.Hammar, after the fight told them that he saw a farmer defeat a warder with a staff, who he considerd the best ever. Mat being as fast if not faster than the Gholam comes from when he was with the girls looking for the Bowl of the Winds. The Gholam had killed 2 redarms before everyone else realised it had even moved from where they were watching it. I believe Mat,with skill or luck, has an ability to sort of foresee a fight/battle develope around him and can move in anticipation of events.probably lingering effects from the daggar and his subsequent healing.

They both, Galad and Gawyn, could beat Hammar at the time Mat fought them,who was regarded the best warder in the Tower,Mat was just 1 or 2 days from being heald and very week.He did'nt attack to kill them,he attacked/defended to keep from getting killed.Hammar, after the fight told them that he saw a farmer defeat a warder with a staff, who he considerd the best ever. Mat being as fast if not faster than the Gholam comes from when he was with the girls looking for the Bowl of the Winds. The Gholam had killed 2 redarms before everyone else realised it had even moved from where they were watching it. I believe Mat,with skill or luck, has an ability to sort of foresee a fight/battle develope around him and can move in anticipation of events.probably lingering effects from the daggar and his subsequent healing.

Again, more hyperbole. Hammar was not the best Warder in the Tower, he was just in charge of training the younglings. I don't see any mentions of Galad and Gawyn winning against Hammar in TDR. Gawyn killed him in TSR, but we don't know the circumstances of that fight--since it was in the middle of a battle, Hammar could have been injured already. That the best Blademaster ever was defeated by a farmer with a staff says absolutely nothing about Mat's skill (unless he's Jearom reborn), it only confirms that a staff can be an effective weapon against someone armed with a sword.

Mat is easily one of my favorite characters, and certainly one of the best fighters in the series, but not THE best. And he doesn't need to be the best fighter either; he's the best general in the entire series and that's more than good enough.